TD Garden

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Lore & Background

During the construction phase, the naming rights to the 'New Garden' were sold to Boston-based Shawmut Bank, and the arena was originally slated to open as the Shawmut Center. However, just as the arena was being completed, Shawmut merged with Fleet Financial Group, forcing every seat in the arena, which had all been stamped with the Shawmut logo, to be replaced. On January 5, 2005, Delaware North announced an agreement under which the bank made a payment to be released from the remaining six years on the naming rights agreement. The agreement left Delaware North free to sell the naming rights to another sponsor. On March 3, 2005, Maine-based TD Banknorth, a U.S. subsidiary of Toronto-Dominion Bank, announced its purchase of the naming rights for $6 million per year. The first major event to be held after the announcement was the 2005 Hockey East Men's Ice Hockey Tournament. On July 1, 2005, the facility was officially renamed the TD Banknorth Garden. In April 2008, TD Banknorth became TD Bank, after a merger with Commerce Bancorp, a New Jersey–based bank. Owner Delaware North Companies announced on April 15, 2009, that the building would be renamed TD Garden in July 2009. Delaware North and TD Bank announced the extension of the naming rights deal on January 12, 2023, with the rights now extending until June 30, 2045.

In Their Own Story

The transition from the old Boston Garden was marked by emotional farewells and grand openings. On September 29, 1995, legends like Bobby Orr, Phil Esposito, Larry Bird, and Red Auerbach attended a farewell event hosted by Liz Walker and Dan Rather, which concluded with thousands of balloons released to the music of the Boston Pops. The very next night, opening ceremonies featured performances by James Taylor, Patti LaBelle, US3, and Olympic skaters Nancy Kerrigan and Paul Wylie. While the Bruins played their first game there on October 7 in a 4–4 tie with the New York Islanders, the Celtics faced immediate heartbreak, losing their debut at the FleetCenter 101–100 to the Milwaukee Bucks on November 3. The arena's identity shifted significantly over the years; in early 2005, while searching for a sponsor, the venue auctioned one-day naming rights on eBay 30 times, raising $150,633.22 for charity. Notable rejected names included 'Derek Jeter Center' and 'Fark.com UFIA Center,' with the latter eventually settling on 'Boston Garden' via a user vote.

Reader's Guide

The arena opened in 1995 as the FleetCenter after the Shawmut-Fleet merger. It was renamed TD Banknorth Garden in 2005, and then TD Garden in 2009. The naming rights deal with TD Bank extends through June 2045.

Did You Know?

• The arena was originally slated to open as the Shawmut Center, but a merger changed the name to FleetCenter before opening.
• In 2005, the arena was renamed TD Banknorth Garden after TD Banknorth purchased naming rights for $6 million per year.
• The naming rights deal was extended in January 2023, keeping the name TD Garden through June 2045.